The coach wants to see you and bring your playbook

We're seven million over the cap and have two weeks to get under before free agency starts. Who gets cut and who gets restructured? Better yet, who, if any one, do we go after in free agency?

 

Biak, Peter (retired, but not official yet), Wells, and Hitch get cut.

That will leave us with around 2.5 million to cut.

Next in line is either Walls or Donnaley to be cut, or restructure Evans. And that's just to get under. I think we will restructure Evans, and my guess is Donnaley will be gone. We will then have enough money to hold RFA like Navies and go after 1 or two mid-priced FA, but no one real pricey. We'll need a linebacker. I wanted Farrior, but I don't think we will be able to afford him. I wonder what Buffalo is going to do with Cowart? Last I heard, they were going to F-tag him.

 

i've read two things about the panthers cap situation:

* the panthers have about $68.5 million committed to the 2002 salary cap, which is expected to be about $72 million.

* the panthers have to trim about $6.5 million in salary-cap obligations to get to the $72 million limit.

some cap figures for 2002:

Gilbert $10.21 million
Evans $7.452
Hitchcock $4.32 million
Biakabtuka $2.725 million
Peter $2.065 million
Wells $1.69 million
Huntley $850,000

also, on marc 1, the first day of free agency, roster bonuses go out. evans and walls each are scheduled to earn $1 million bonuses. wells is slated to receive $200,000. gilbert is scheduled to receive a $1.5 million bonus March 1 and another $1 million April 1. Hitchcock is scheduled to receive $500,000 March 15. the panthers have until March 15 to pay $2.5 million to steussie for an option on 2005 and 2006.

 

I also read somewhere Walls may be gone too... any truth to that??

 

Better than T-bagging him I guess.

 

Tim to be released

Bye Tim

Article also says that among other veterans, Hitch (expected) and Evans may be gone. I've been clamoring for Jimmy's head, but do we get any space for Doug? Not that he was stellar, despite the INTs he was burned a lot.

If true, tradedown possibilities loom large. We'll need a corner, either in round 1 or 2.

I personally have always like Rumph, he fits in at #34.

 

I'm hoping they can get Doug to restructure his contract I feel like we'll need him at least one more year and look to get a CB in about the 3rd round... that way he will have a year under his belt before having to play full time next.

 

I didn't know about Gilbert's bonus. He's gone.
I've been worried about Steussie's bonus. But if we don't pay it we've gotta deal with his 5 years of unpaid bonus...which is more. Wells, Peter make for quick and easy cuts...Williams might join the pile for $1.6 more.